A Level Philosophy and Ethics Campus and course code Kettering- ALKAPP-30K Examination Board OCR Duration One year for AS Level Two years for full A Level (AS Level + A2 Level) Entry requirements For a 3 AS Level programme you will need a minimum of 5 GCSEs at A* - C including mathematics and an A or B grade in English or equivalent For a 4 AS Level programme you will need a minimum of 6GCSEs at A* - C including mathematics and an A or B grade in English or equivalent. To progress to A2 Level a minimum of grade D is required. If you have been out of education for some time you may wish to consider the Access Higher Education programme as an alternative to A Levels. Course content AS Level Unit 1 Ancient Greek influences on religious philosophy (Plato & Aristotle)
Judaeo- Christian influences on religious philosophy (Creationism, Ideas of Goodness) Arguments for the existence of God (Cosmological, Teleological, Moral, Ontological)
Unit 2 A2 Level Unit 3 Challenges to religious belief (Problem of Pain & Suffering, Science, Psychology) Ethical theories (Utilitarianism, Natural Law, Kant, Situation Ethics) Applied Ethics (Abortion, Euthanasia, Genetic Engineering, War & Peace) Religious Language (symbol, analogy & myth) Religious Experience (of Revelation & interpretation) Miracles ( Evidences & evaluation) Nature of God ( attributes & evaluation) Life After Death (Dualism, Near Death Experiences, Ghosts) Unit 4 Meta- Ethics the meaning of good & bad Free Will & Determinism The nature and role of Conscience Virtue Ethics do as I do not do as I say! Environmental & Business Ethics Sexual Ethics Method of Assessment
Assessment is by examination at the end of each academic year (May/June) Progression Philosophy means the "love of wisdom". This is one of the few purely intellectual disciplines that use the processes of logic and argument as a basis of reasoning. Philosophy is an unusual study, and the qualifications can lead to surprising career opportunities. There are actually several streams of employment for philosophy students that include the academic, law, political or commercial realms. Academic careers One of the most popular academic paths is the actual teaching of philosophy. This is a postgraduate level position, usually requiring a doctorate in philosophy, working in the traditional academic mode. These positions include a requirement for training in the role of lecturer, and other educational disciplines. There are also research related fields involving the fundamental work of dealing with preparation of works dealing with ancient, historic, and modern philosophy. It's generally confined to publications and academic papers within the profession, usually by graduates and undergraduates working as research assistants.
Institutional Jobs Political science, public service, management science, politics and charities are all part of the institutional job component of philosophy. Philosophy and its concepts have direct applications in these areas. The academic degree relates well to political "think tanks" and other ideology-based social groups. Law Careers Philosophy degrees are considered good grounding in law, with the strong emphasis on argument and logic being particularly valuable. Philosophy students are very much at home in the adversarial legal arena, and comprehension of legal principles. Commercial Careers One of the more surprising areas of employment is upper level commerce. Microsoft, Google, and other major employers use philosophy as part of "thinking outside the box". Conceptualization is a relatively new but expanding area of work for philosophy majors. It applies in important areas of marketing, advertising, and business strategies. This is almost exclusively postgraduate work, but it's worth considering as a long term goal for those entering philosophy as a career path option. Transferable Key Skills
The ability to follow a line of reasoning and come to a conclusion. The ability to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of opposing arguments. The ability to question received practice and wisdom and help develop better practice and understanding. Additional information All course materials, study notes and worksheets will be provided along with the use of set text books. No pre-reading is required.